Patience and Potential

This post is not so much about patience and potential as it is about interconnectedness. A series of interconnected events embedded with a nature theme brought me to this piece. I hope by sharing my own story, you too can find the moments of interconnectedness on your own journey.

The final days of winter are the perfect time to observe nature.

Through the sheer beauty of golden rays of sunshine, of snow sparkling, of birds in full song, she offers us the reminder that a time of Transition is around the corner.

Are you ready?

Spring is a time of change and renewal, integral to setting the pace for our three other sister seasons. Earlier in the day I had an interesting conversation with a client, who mentioned how she would love to skip Spring altogether. It was a poignant statement that brought to mind the card from Doreen Virtue’s Archangel Oracle Card deck I pulled that morning. It was ‘Patience’.

Archangel Jophiel: “Your dreams are blooming more rapidly than you realize. Still, they need nurturing and patience.

It takes time for a seedling to push through the ground and mature into a flower-bearing plant. Yet each moment of a plant’s lifecycle can bring joy to those who notice its beauty. In the same way, enjoy the process of realizing your dreams. Slow down and feel gratitude, as each step brings your manifestation into tangible form. Notice the lessons and love that spring from every moment that you engage in acting upon your dreams.”

I’ve pulled this card a few times lately and love the reminder to relax and settle into the change that abounds.

So as I later found myself surrounded by nature, enjoying a beautiful hike, I couldn’t help but admire the intense beauty of this time of year: the fresh smells of new growth, the whispers of nature reawakening. I couldn’t possibly imagine skipping a day, let alone an entire season!

Each and every day there are blessings to be counted.

I love the warm weather and the heat of the summer, believe me. In fact I’ve gone MIA the last two winters for extended breaks to ensconce myself in warm climates and beautiful cultures. But this winter has been different. Instead of nurturing my love for travel, I am giving the love and attention to my business, Uplift Consulting and the warmth of my ‘internal fire’.

For the first time in a few years, I have been able to experience the full depths of the Canadian winter and it has rekindled in me my love for the seasons and the transitions that evolve from them.

Earlier in the week, we finally received the service call from our telecommunications company. He was walking into a time-bomb, as our internet connection has been down sporadically for the better part of a month <talk about an exercise in patience and living yoga>!  As he was putting on those awkward galoshes over his boots, he said about the winter, “I will be glad when this is over”. It struck me as sad, rushing time, this very precious life.

As he left, he said, “everything is in good working order here”, to which I smiled, “thank you, you made my day”. He paused a moment and said, “why thank you”, as if this was something he didn’t hear very often. In this moment, we were connected; this connection is one of the gifts of being human. When we rush or disconnect, we miss so many of blessings that are meant for us, blessings that connect us to a place of happiness and peace and belonging.

We’re all interconnected.

We tend to rush into almost everything in life, especially when things are not comfortable. For some of us, that might be the bone-chilling, dark days of winter that call us to go inside, to rest, to discover, to explore our own great depths. I observe this impatience, often in others: ‘once I get the new job…’ or ‘once I meet this goal or that objective…’ or ‘when I retire…’, and so on.  I think, what is meant, ‘then life will begin’. But here’s the thing, and what I continue to remind myself and others of: we are surrounded with light, beauty, and little miracles every day. That’s life…but only if we choose to look at and cultivate the bright side.  And, trust in the process.

The question is, what do we glean from each step we take…even during the uncomfortable periods? Do we run away or immerse ourselves in the richness of life? It’s the subtle moments that often go unnoticed…because we were rushing things in search for the perfect job, in search of the perfect relationship, in search of the perfect life. Meanwhile, the perfect life is staring us right in the face in each and every moment. Now that’s a wake up call!

This is what winter is all about…for us to get nestled into the darkness, cuddle up under the covers, and get some good constructive rest. We go inside to renew, so that as we come into Spring, we are refreshed and ready to take on the next season and perhaps something much more profound or larger than ourselves. As a society, we’re so disconnected with this idea. We’ve lost our connection to the natural rhythms of nature that support us in our own evolution. We’ve lost our connection to our pure potential. This is what’s calling us back to rediscover, as we say in Yoga, this place called ‘home’.

We can awaken to our true potential.

“Waking up is one of the most important themes of our time. It’s seeking us as much as we are seeking it.”~ The Wake Up Festival

For me, these are the gifts that daily gratitude, mindfulness, meditation, and yoga practice bring,  all of which connect us to nature, her rhythms, and something much larger however you may define this for you. It fosters a high radar, a tuning into things that otherwise might be missed. Often we catch glimpses…

Next time you do, pause for a moment to revel in it. Try to enjoy these moments of happiness in your heart.

So together, let’s welcome the Spring Equinox, greeting her with a sense of belonging and vitality and spring in your step. It’s right around the corner. As we let go and shed the slumber of winter and wake up to the potential in these fresh new days, I look forward to what lies ahead…

Love and light,

Paula

Photo source: Flohaus